ग्लूटन फ़्री है?

You just need to point at a menu item. Or hold up a snack and say ग्लूटन फ़्री है?. The है (hai) at the end turns it into a question. Your rising intonation does most of the heavy lifting here. It works for packaged goods and fresh street food alike.

Use it at fancy cafes in Delhi or Mumbai. Use it when a friend offers you a homemade snack. It is perfect for high-end restaurants with English menus. Even at a local grocery store, the clerk will understand. If you have celiac disease, this is your most important Hindi phrase.

Do not use it at a very rural roadside stall. They might not know the word 'gluten' yet. In those cases, ask about specific grains like wheat. Avoid using it if you are in a very formal traditional ceremony. It might sound a bit too 'modern' or 'westernized' there. Stick to simpler terms about ingredients in very old-school settings.

India is the land of wheat-based breads like रोटी and पूरी. However, health consciousness is booming in urban centers. 'Hinglish' (Hindi + English) is the standard for health terms now. Most urban Indians use the English word gluten rather than a technical Hindi translation. It shows how global food trends have hit the Indian palate.

You can add क्या (kya) at the start for more emphasis. क्या यह ग्लूटन फ़्री है? (Is this gluten-free?). If you want to be extra polite, add जी (ji) at the end. You can also ask इसमें गेहूँ है? (Is there wheat in this?). That is a great backup if the English term fails you.